Floor SpeechCeremonial2026-09-16

HONORING DR. WOLDE-AB ISAAC

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On 2026-09-16, Representative Mark Takano (D-CA-39) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING DR. WOLDE-AB ISAAC" in the House.

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HONORING DR. WOLDE-AB ISAAC

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5962-H5963] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING DR. WOLDE-AB ISAAC (Mr. TAKANO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career and service of Dr. Wolde-Ab Isaac and his 50-year career of defending education and eliminating barriers for students. Dr. Isaac grew up in Eritrea and was the first in his family to attend college. He majored in chemistry at Ethiopia's Haile Selassie University and then moved to the United States to pursue a master's of science and Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in medicinal chemistry. Before serving as the chancellor of the Riverside Community College District in 2017, Dr. Isaac served as president of the University of Asmara in Eritrea, where he defended academic freedom and the right to an education under an authoritarian regime. As Riverside Community College District chancellor, Dr. Isaac has prioritized workforce development [[Page H5963]] partnerships through college vocational certificates to meet the demands of the Inland Empire and lowered barriers by automatically admitting every high school student into a college in the Riverside Community College District system. Chancellor Isaac's career exemplifies the transformative power of education as a social and economic equalizer. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Dr. Isaac on his work over the past 50 years defending education for all students, and I wish him a restful retirement. ____________________

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HONORING DR. WOLDE-AB ISAAC Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5962-H5963] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING DR. WOLDE-AB ISAAC (Mr. TAKANO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career and service of Dr. Wolde-Ab Isaac and his 50-year career of defending education and eliminating barriers for students. Dr. Isaac grew up in Eritrea and was the first in his family to attend college. He majored in chemistry at Ethiopia's Haile Selassie University and then moved to the United States to pursue a master's of science and Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in medicinal chemistry. Before serving as the chancellor of the Riverside Community College District in 2017, Dr. Isaac served as president of the University of Asmara in Eritrea, where he defended academic freedom and the right to an education under an authoritarian regime. As Riverside Community College District chancellor, Dr. Isaac has prioritized workforce development [[Page H5963]] partnerships through college vocational certificates to meet the demands of the Inland Empire and lowered barriers by automatically admitting every high school student into a college in the Riverside Community College District system. Chancellor Isaac's career exemplifies the transformative power of education as a social and economic equalizer. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Dr. Isaac on his work over the past 50 years defending education for all students, and I wish him a restful retirement. ____________________